{"id":3582,"date":"2026-03-05T17:15:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T11:45:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/?p=3582"},"modified":"2026-03-05T13:11:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:41:47","slug":"gen-z-men-more-likely-to-support-patriarchal-norms-in-married-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/gen-z-men-more-likely-to-support-patriarchal-norms-in-married-life\/3582\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z men more likely to support patriarchal norms in married life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For more than half a century political leaders, legal scholars and social reformers across the world have argued that the struggle for gender equality represents one of the defining transformations of modern democratic society. The expansion of women\u2019s legal rights, economic participation and political representation has often been presented as a generational march forward that each younger cohort would embrace more strongly than the last. Yet emerging global data now suggests that this assumption may be dangerously flawed. A striking new international survey indicates that significant numbers of young men are embracing deeply traditional views about gender roles, marriage and masculinity at levels that in some cases exceed those of their grandfathers.<\/p>\n

The findings come from a large scale global survey conducted by Ipsos in collaboration with the Global Institute for Women\u2019s Leadership at King\u2019s College London. The research gathered responses from approximately twenty three thousand individuals across twenty nine countries including Great Britain, the United States, Brazil, Australia and India. The results reveal a deeply troubling generational pattern. Contrary to the widespread belief that younger generations naturally become more socially progressive, the data suggests that many men belonging to Generation Z are in fact significantly more likely than older men to support traditional patriarchal norms.<\/p>\n

Among the most striking results is the finding that nearly 1\/3rd of Generation Z men believe that a wife should obey her husband. The survey recorded that 33% percent of these young men also believe that a husband should have the final word in important decisions within a marriage. These figures stand in stark contrast with the attitudes of baby boomer men, only 31% of whom expressed the view that a wife should always obey her husband. When the responses of women are considered the generational contrast remains visible. 18% of Generation Z women agreed with the statement regarding obedience in marriage, compared with just 6% of women belonging to the baby boomer generation.<\/p>\n

The data becomes even more revealing when analysed geographically. The survey showed that the highest levels of agreement with the idea that wives should obey husbands were found in Indonesia and Malaysia, where 66% and 60% respectively of respondents supported the statement. By comparison only 23% of respondents in the United States and 13% in Great Britain agreed. These numbers illustrate how cultural contexts continue to shape gender norms across societies, yet the generational dynamic within many countries remains striking.<\/p>\n

The broader dataset highlights several additional dimensions of this emerging generational divide. Almost one quarter of Generation Z men believe that women should avoid appearing too independent or self sufficient. Among baby boomer men the proportion expressing this view was only twelve percent. The results suggest that a significant segment of younger men are embracing a model of gender relations that emphasises female dependence and male authority within personal relationships. Attitudes toward sexual norms also demonstrate a notable divergence between generations. Twenty one percent of Generation Z men believe that a real woman should never initiate sex. Among baby boomer men only seven percent endorsed this view. These numbers reflect a deeper cultural narrative about female sexuality that many societies have struggled to dismantle for decades. The idea that women should remain passive in intimate relationships has historically been linked to broader patterns of gender inequality and social control.<\/p>\n

Another area of tension concerns perceptions of the broader gender equality movement. Fifty nine percent of Generation Z men surveyed expressed the view that men are now expected to do too much in order to support gender equality. Among baby boomer men the equivalent figure was forty five percent. Among women the pattern was similar but less pronounced, with forty one percent of Generation Z women and thirty percent of baby boomer women expressing the same sentiment.<\/p>\n

These findings highlight a growing perception among many young men that the pursuit of gender equality may have become burdensome or unfair to them. This perception has become increasingly visible across digital platforms and public discourse, where online communities frequently frame gender equality initiatives as a zero sum contest in which men lose status as women gain opportunities. Yet the survey also reveals several complex contradictions within Generation Z attitudes. Despite their comparatively traditional views on female independence, Generation Z men were the group most likely to agree that women with successful careers are more attractive to men. Forty one percent supported this statement. This suggests that while many young men admire professional accomplishment among women, they may simultaneously struggle to reconcile that admiration with entrenched cultural expectations regarding power and authority within relationships.<\/p>\n

Professor Heejung Chung, director of the Global Institute for Women\u2019s Leadership and the lead researcher behind the study, has warned that the results reveal a concerning shift in attitudes. While she emphasised that there remain encouraging signs of continued support for gender equality, including broad agreement that more women should enter political leadership, the overall trend indicates a resurgence of more traditional views about gender roles.<\/p>\n

Longitudinal comparisons further reinforce this concern. In 2019 global surveys found that forty two percent of people believed that women\u2019s rights had gone far enough within their countries. Today that figure has increased to fifty two percent. In Great Britain the increase amounted to a twelve point rise. Such changes indicate that a growing portion of the public now believes that gender equality initiatives may have progressed sufficiently or perhaps too far.<\/p>\n

Chung has suggested that this shift may partly reflect a deeper psychological response among many young men who perceive themselves as losing traditional forms of social status. According to her analysis there exists a widening sense of grievance and uncertainty. In her words there are many voices attempting to position young men in opposition to gender equality, to young women and even to migrants. These narratives often thrive within the algorithm driven ecosystems of social media where polarising content can spread rapidly.<\/p>\n

Economic transformations may also play a significant role in shaping these attitudes. For much of the twentieth century masculine identity in many societies was strongly associated with the role of breadwinner. Men could perform masculinity through financial provision, home ownership and economic stability. In recent decades however structural changes in the global economy have made these markers increasingly difficult to achieve for younger generations. Rising housing costs, precarious employment and slower wage growth have eroded the traditional pathways through which many men historically defined their social role. When such economic foundations weaken, cultural expectations often persist long after the conditions that once sustained them have disappeared. As a result some young men may attempt to reassert traditional authority within the domestic sphere even as broader economic power structures shift beyond their control. Without new models of masculinity that emphasise cooperation, emotional openness and shared responsibility, frustration can easily evolve into resentment.<\/p>\n

The survey findings reveal further insights into how these norms shape male self expectations. Thirty percent of Generation Z men believe that men should not say the phrase I love you to their male friends. Among baby boomer men the proportion expressing this belief was twenty percent, while twenty one percent of Generation Z women agreed. Such attitudes reflect enduring pressures that discourage emotional expression among men, reinforcing a narrow and restrictive understanding of masculinity.<\/p>\n

Similarly twenty one percent of Generation Z men believe that men who participate actively in caring for children are less masculine than those who do not. Among baby boomer men only eight percent expressed this view, while fourteen percent of Generation Z women agreed. These perceptions highlight the persistence of cultural norms that discourage male involvement in caregiving roles despite decades of advocacy promoting shared parenting responsibilities. At the same time the survey identified significant differences between personal beliefs and perceived social expectations. In Great Britain for example only fourteen percent of respondents personally believed that women should carry most responsibility for childcare. Yet forty three percent stated that society still expects women to bear that responsibility. This gap between personal values and perceived social norms illustrates the subtle pressures that continue to shape behaviour within families even when individuals privately support more egalitarian arrangements.<\/p>\n

Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and current chair of the Global Institute for Women\u2019s Leadership, has described the findings as deeply troubling. According to Gillard the problem extends beyond the constraints that these attitudes place on women. Young men themselves become trapped within restrictive gender norms that limit emotional expression, caregiving participation and personal relationships. In her view societies must challenge the dangerous idea that gender equality benefits only women while men inevitably lose.<\/p>\n

From a broader international perspective the survey results arrive at a time when debates about masculinity, gender politics and social identity are intensifying across many democracies. Political movements in several countries have increasingly mobilised male grievance narratives that portray gender equality initiatives as threats to traditional family structures. These narratives often intersect with wider cultural anxieties about immigration, economic change and national identity. For policymakers and scholars the challenge now lies in addressing the underlying causes of this generational backlash without dismissing the frustrations that many young men experience. Economic insecurity, shifting labour markets and rapid cultural change have created an environment in which identity politics easily fills the vacuum left by declining social institutions. Without deliberate efforts to promote inclusive models of masculinity that recognise men as partners in equality rather than adversaries, the risk of further polarisation remains high. The Ipsos and King\u2019s College London survey therefore offers more than a snapshot of attitudes. It provides a warning signal about the fragile foundations upon which gender equality progress currently rests. Legal reforms alone cannot sustain social transformation if cultural narratives begin to drift in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

The future of gender equality will depend not only on empowering women but also on redefining what it means to be a man in a world where authority is no longer measured by control over others. Until societies confront this challenge directly the quiet resurgence of patriarchal attitudes among younger generations may continue to undermine decades of progress.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For more than half a century political leaders, legal scholars and social reformers across the world have argued that the\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":3583,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,61,5,2],"tags":[1718,1719,1720,1721,1717,30],"class_list":["post-3582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india","category-premium","category-united-kingdom","category-united-states","tag-gen-z","tag-global-institute-for-womens-leadership","tag-ipsos","tag-julia-gillard","tag-kings-college-london","tag-top-stories"],"reading_time":"9 min read","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/186"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3582"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3582\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3584,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3582\/revisions\/3584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/trade-policy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}